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Applicants will be advised of when the Personal History Statement is due during the hiring process and should follow the instructions given.
Show All Answers
Applicants are advised of what documents are needed and when during the hiring process.
The process takes approximately eight to ten weeks, depending on your rank on the eligibility list and factors in your background. Read more about the hiring process for the Flower Mound Police Department.
Generally two trips are necessary. One is for the 2000 Meter Row Evaluation, Preliminary Interview and Oral Review Board. The second is for the polygraph, psychological, and medical / drug screen. Contact us at 972.874.3330 for more information.
That depends on why you were disqualified. If you fail the written test, Row Evaluation, or the Oral Review Board, you may reapply at the next testing process. You may reapply after one year if you fail the psychological examination. Any other disqualification will result in a minimum disqualification of one year or possible permanent disqualification.
Non Offensive Tattoos are allowed to be visible. It is the policy of this agency that tattoos or brands that are prejudicial to good order are prohibited. Additionally, while on or off duty in uniform or on duty in civilian attire, employees are prohibited from exhibiting tattoos, body art, or brands that are offensive or demeaning to persons of ordinary sensibilities.
Beards and goatees are permitted, but must adhere to the traditional style and be kept neat, clean, and short.
Our current authorized strength is 108 Sworn Police Officers.
The law enforcement academies utilized by the Flower Mound Police Department typically range from 19 to 23 weeks long.
Yes. A study guide and practice examination is available for purchase from the exam manufacturer; however, this information is only provided to applicants who are invited to the Police Officer Examination.
A police officer must be at least 21 years old to be licensed in Texas. There is no maximum age limit to apply for the Flower Mound Police Department. As long as you are fit enough to pass the Row Evaluation, medical examination, and complete the police academy (if necessary), there are no physical limitations on who can apply.
The Flower Mound Police Department uses four different police academies to train new recruits. Once hired, Police Officer Recruits will be sent to the next academy of our choice.
No. We accept any classes from an accredited college or university as defined by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Rule 211.1(a)(3).
The written examination will be given in the morning. Those who pass will immediately participate in the Row Evaluation.
Our patrol officers work 12 hour shifts. We have two day-shifts and two night-shifts as follows:
Yes, a three year service commitment is required.


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fi'zi:k Winter Overshoes are designed in collaboration with professional cyclists and offer the best possible performance in the cold, wet months – they wrap around your shoes giving excellent comfort, performance and safety during every ride. The waterproof and windproof 3L upper material features a membrane and bonded mesh, thermowelded seams and a waterproof zip. The rubberized outsole provides improved grip while the reflective logo and piping offer high visibility.
- 100% Waterproof and windproof upper
- 3L material with membrane and bonded mesh, waterproof YKK zip
- Waterproof thermowelded seams
- Rubberized outsole for better grip
- Reflective logo and piping
- Color: Black
- Small: Sizes 36-39
- Medium: Sizes 40-43
- Large: Sizes 44-46
- Extra Large: Sizes 47-49
Part Numbers
Option | UPC | MPN | Store SKU |
Black / X-Large | 08058364011301 | FZSCWP10942016-XL | 210000065426 |

subset: commoncrawl


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For Troubled IRS Division, Scandal Was Years in the Making
Screening guidelines were finalized more than two years after tax-exempt searches began
The breakdown in IRS management that led the agency into a scandal over the improper targeting of conservative groups began with long-standing problems at the division that oversees tax-exempt organizations, according to interviews with former IRS officials.
Tasked with regulating hundreds of thousands of nonprofit groups with a staff of about 900 people, roughly 100 of them in Washington, officials at the IRS' Exempt Organizations Division have complained frequently about a lack of resources and their seemingly awkward position within an agency chiefly concerned with collecting revenue.
The EO Division has devised strategies over several years to cope with the workload and tough questions the agency faces. As far back as the 1980s, the division began consolidating field offices, creating a central office for processing applications for tax-exempt status in Cincinnati.
In 2003 and 2004, leaders of the division made another important — and possibly fateful — decision. In the name of efficiency, fewer applications would be sent to lawyers in Washington and more authority for handling sensitive cases would be provided to the lower-level employees in Cincinnati.
The idea, said Marvin Friedlander, a former senior IRS official who retired in January 2010, was to let the different offices focus on what they did best. Cincinnati would deal with the day-to-day problems while Washington would remain focused on the big picture, identifying trends, tackling special projects and issuing guidance to field offices when needed.
Before the reorganization, field officers would "be able to send an application to Washington at will," Friedlander said. Now, "if Cincinnati needs assistance they can reach out and ask for it from the lawyers in Washington, but they won't send the cases. They will just say, 'Here's an issue that we have,' and talk to Washington informally."
According to Friedlander and several other people who used to work at the EO Division, there is a direct connection between the decision to turn the Washington office into something of a think tank and the controversy the IRS now faces. Not only are employees in Washington better paid and have a better grasp of tax law than those in Cincinnati, they also are more sensitive about political issues, these former officials say.
"What was eliminated in 2003 were a series of quality checks in the application processing," said Marcus Owens, a lawyer at Caplin & Drysdale who left the IRS in 2000 after serving as the director of the EO Division for 10 years. "With that act, there was a time bomb that started ticking."
Even after Tuesday's release of an inspector general's report, much remains unclear about exactly what happened at the IRS beginning in early 2010.
That includes the question of how involved senior IRS officials were in establishing screening guidelines that made it more likely that conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status would be scrutinized for having an overly political mission.
In March 2010, managers at the Cincinnati office took initial steps to screen groups with "tea party," "patriots" or "9/12" in their names, but they also communicated their actions to technical advisors in Washington, according to the IG report.
That August, the Cincinnati office formalized its search criteria, but it wasn't until June 2011 that Washington officials with direct supervision of the Cincinnati office asked for that information.
A few weeks later, Lois Lerner, the director of the EO Division, participated in a briefing in which the search criteria was discussed and she instructed that the language be changed to include all groups involved in political activities.
Still, it wasn't until May 2012, shortly after officials from Washington visited Cincinnati to conduct training, that the two offices came to a final agreement about what the search criteria should be.
In its response to the IG report, the IRS defended its decision to place a team of specialists on political cases but agreed that it was wrong to take shortcuts that singled out conservative groups. It also agreed that "decisions with respect to the centralized collection of cases must be made at a much higher level of the organization."
In the aftermath of the IG report, congressional leaders have vowed further investigations into the IRS.
"The American people deserve to know what actions will be taken to ensure those who made these policy decisions at the IRS are being held fully accountable and more importantly what is being done to ensure that this kind of raw partisanship is fully eliminated from these critically important non-partisan government functions," all 45 Republican senators wrote to President Barack Obama on Wednesday.
Still, those familiar with the IRS are concerned that deeper problems with the agency and tax law may go unfixed. They note that current restrictions on the political activity of nonprofit groups are vague.
That grew more significant, former officials said, as the number of politically active nonprofits exploded in recent years and the IRS did not address the issue either through regulations or clear instructions to employees who handle applications.
"To me it's personally embarrassing that EO didn't seem to get ahead of the curve and realize that this was going to happen," Friedlander said.
There are also questions about the lack of coordination between the Washington and Cincinnati offices and how a relatively small group of people can handle so many applications.
"If you only have 300, 350 people in Cincinnati and 60,000 applications to deal with, they're basically always overwhelmed," said Paul Streckfus, a former IRS employee who now edits the EO Tax Journal.
Bill Brockner, who retired from the EO Division in 2006, said managers and frontline workers at the division face an exceedingly difficult task.
"It's not given the resources to do what they should do," he said. "And the laws aren't good enough, so you don't know what's going on, and the only time people get interested is when someone does something bad or something perceived to be bad like what's going on now. And then there's 15 minutes of uproar and then it's forgotten."


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Inventory of the State Relief Administration Records
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The State Emergency Relief Administration was created in 1933, and succeeded by the State Relief Administration in 1935. Both agencies were developed to alleviate certain conditions caused by the Great Depression. The records from both agencies include reports, statistics, surveys, operating procedures, budgets and bulletins. There is no correspondence included in these records.
The State Emergency Relief Administration (SERA) was created in 1933 as a provision of the Unemployment Bond Relief Act. In 1935, SERA was succeeded by the State Relief Administration (SRA). Both agencies were created to help alleviate certain conditions caused by the Great Depression, and their responsibilities included the distribution of state and federal funds for unemployment relief. The activities of the State Relief Administration frequently overlapped activities of other local, federal and even state agencies created for similar purposes. Consequently, the organization of the SRA was constantly changing and it is difficult to decisively state the the number or names of the agency's divisions at any given date. See Elsey Hurt, California State Government - an Outline of Its Administrative Organization, vol. 2, 1939, for more details.
5 cubic feet
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.
Collection is open for research.
Collection Overview
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Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Scope and Contents Note
Indexing Terms
Series Descriptions
Administrator's Office, 1933-1941
Division of Statistics and Audits, 1933-1941
Division of Social and County Administration, 1933-1942
Field Service Division, 1934-1940
Bureau of Community Relations, 1939-1940
Accounting Division, 1936-1940
Division of Personnel, 1938-1941
Division of Planning and Research, 1940
Bureau of Social and Administrative Audits, 1940
Division of Research and Surveys, 1934-1940
Division of Special Surveys and Studies, 1935-1941
Bureau of Commodity Distibution, 1935-1940
Bureau of Resident Projects - Camp Operations Department, 1935-1940
Transient Division, 1935-1940
Bureau of Self-Help - Division of Self-Help Cooperatives, 1935-1939
Division of Operations, 1938


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05 Mar - 07 Mar - Estimated Delivery.
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- Soft Cuddly T-Rex Dinosaurs
- Small Plush Cuddly Toy.
- Includes Keychain Ring with Clasp.
- Can be used as a Backpack Bag Charm.
- Great for Hanging in the Car.
- Ideal for Child's Bedroom.
- Measures Approx 10CM Tall.
- Lovely Gift Idea.
- - Not suitable for children under the age of 3 years.
Delivery and Dispatch
We always aim to pack and dispatch your order as quickly as possible. Normally within 1 day (Monday - Friday) when we receive your order by 1pm. Once it's ready, we'll send an email confirming all the details of your delivery including carrier and tracking information.
Delivery is flat rate. Order as much as you like and pay just one low postage.
As soon as your order has been dispatched, you can fully track your parcel from our Tracking Page. You will also be emailed delivery information from Royal Mail. If you provide a mobile number with your order a SMS text message will be sent when your parcel is out for delivery.
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"The Deep End" – Monday, July 29, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
The media goes into a frenzy over race relations when the body of a young Latino man is found at the home of a white award-winning swimming coach. Flynn struggles with an emotional dilemma on the eve of his daughter's wedding. Kris' mother (guest star Lori Loughlin) pays Raydor a visit to discuss some concerns.
Directed by Rick Wallace
Written by Michael Alaimo
Created by James Duff


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After a pilot program (or perhaps that should be "engineer program"?) in which one writer was gifted with a round-trip train ride, Amtrak recently announced that they will begin a larger-scale residency program which "will allow for up to 24 writers to take long-distance trains to work on their projects."
The Poetry Foundation's blog, Harriet, was all over this, but they soon posted about how problematic the official terms of the application are. This was originally pointed out at The Outlet.
For instance:
>In submitting an Application, Applicant hereby grants Sponsor the absolute, worldwide, and irrevocable right to use, modify, publish, publicly display, distribute, and copy Applicant's Application, in whole or in part, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and marketing, and to sublicense such rights to any third parties.
There is also a note that applications will not (actually, "NOT") be kept confidential. This seems like pretty standard fare for a corporate contest, actually, which doesn't mean that it's right, that all writers should agree to it, or that any should agree to it without understanding the terms.
Since applications aren't going to be kept confidential anyway, here's mine, or at least my at-most-1000-character answers to the two main questions. They mention some other issues that I have with the "Official Terms," although these do not keep me from being interested in the residency:
Why do you want an #AmtrakResidency?
My work is computational, has many layers of meaning, and is often collaborative, and so much of it is prohibited by the #AmtrakResidency Official Terms, which disallow submissions that "Contain executable programming of any kind," "Contain … encoded messages," and "Contain content not created by and original to Applicant." If awarded a residency, I'll continue to defy official concepts of writing. Since this opportunity exists to promote Amtrak on social media, I'm also interested in showing how social media isn't limited to this moment's corporate systems. I can do this well, as I have been a blogger for more than 10 years, have served as president of the Electronic Literature Organization, and am a professor of digital media at MIT. Finally, the sequential, systematic qualities of trains relate to aspects of my writing process. Although I am not personally inclined to record their arrival and departure times, trains do appeal to me in ways that aren't just nostalgic or romantic.
How would this residency benefit your writing?
I would have the opportunity to focus on writing work and to do one or more trip-specific digital poetry projects which would be made available for free on the Web. Network access is not important to me for work of this sort, and there is even some advantage to not being online. I've already written a great deal on Northeast Corridor trains, did some of the editorial work for The New Media Reader on a train to Chicago, and generally find train travel conducive to many types of writing, including creative digital work. I've done one collaboration in which we used Amtrak trains as a meeting place and point of departure: Three Rails Live, a computational video installation documented (in English and in French translation) at


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His fame having been curtailed by circumstance, college football star Ernie Davis deserves his own Hollywood-sized sports movie, and he gets one in The Express. Davis was the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, but his path to success was a difficult one, since he played during the pre-civil rights era of the '50s and '60s. Gary Fleder's film locates most of its dramatic tension in whether or not Davis (Rob Brown), can truly trust Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder (a growly Dennis Quaid) to watch his back.
The tale of heroic triumph—inter-personal and psychic—over racism is told with the simplicity of a children's story and some unfortunate exaggeration (most notably the relocation of of a 1959 game against West Virginia to that team's home turf, where the film insists the team was pelted by bottles and other trash...it's a whole-cloth invention used as shorthand for a racist time). Charles Leavitt's screenplay (based on Robert Gallagher's book Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express) rolls out ever dramatic cliche in its dialogue and incident, as Davis goes from a stuttering ten-year-old victim of racist coal-town bullies (narration: "People would always ask, 'What are you running from?'...I wasn't running from. I was running to") to the star running back of Elmira High School, where he's hand-picked by Schwartzwalder and wooed by Cleveland Browns-bound Syracuse star Jim Brown (Darrin Dewitt Henson).
The relationship between Schwartwalder and Davis was, by all accounts, like that of father and son (Davis' real father was out of the picture), and while this notion certainly isn't lost on The Express, the need for a dramatic arc positions Schwartzwalder early on as a reluctant "realist" admonishing Davis not to think about dating a white girl. The coach teaches, "There are some lines that people don't care to see crossed," a prelude to the fictionalized West Virginia game and the actual racist treatment the team faced while in Dallas for the Cotton Bowl. Quaid earns his paycheck with a climactic halftime speech: "Winning this one means nothing if you lose yourselves."
Fleder seems to be going for a cross of Remember the Titans and Rudy (here's Charles S. Dutton as Davis' beloved grandfather), and the formula essentially works. Those like me, who have seen and enjoyed a large number of "based on a true story" sports films, will probably concede this one is a little dull, despite the bittersweet finish that is the film's raison d'etre (Davis passes the baton to Floyd Little just before...well, did you see Brian's Song?). It's most unfortunate that the stolid but bland Brown (who played football at Amherst College) captures little of the good-humored energy Davis' teammates recall, and the film matches Brown's blandness in its inability to convert the story's basics into flavorful realism. Like a biography plucked from the shelf of a grade-school library, The Express' PG-rated family friendliness includes ample inspiration and sufficient history to get to its destination in "express" fashion.
Universal's The Express is on track on Blu-ray and DVD: despite the film's potentially troublesome, heavily stylized, sometimes quick-cut image, the hi-def picture quality is outstanding. Colors are accurate and black level deep, detail is excellent, and the source pristine, making for a rock-solid image all around. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is unassailable: it's a definitive presentation of the film's immersive sound design.
The Blu-ray includes Universal staples like the bookmarking feature My Scenes and BD Live access to share one's favorite scenes and download the latest trailers, but the exciting Blu-ray exclusive here is "50th Anniversary of the 1959 Syracuse National Championship" (16:23, SD), in which "eight prominent members of the team" tell the story of that championship season.
A nicely professional commentary by Director Gary Fleder explains how a film is made first on the page, then on the set, and then in the editing room. Fleder discusses the film's four primary parts, as he sees them, and covers the usual topics of pre-production, production, and post-production.
"Deleted Scenes" (7:37, SD) also come with optional commentary by Fleder, leading into several well-produced featurettes (all presented in HD) that pack a lot into their concise running times.
"The Making of The Express" (13:57, HD) ably delves into the film's origins, the cast, Fleder's working style, the period challenge, shooting on location in Chicago, the "four movements" of the film and their distinct photographic looks, and the football component. Participants include Fleder, Quaid, Rob Brown, Charles S. Dutton, Nicole Beharie, Darrin Dewitt Henson, production designer Nelson Coates, DP Kramer Morgenthau, football coordinator/2nd unit director Allan Graf, and Geoff Stults.
"Making History: The Story of Ernie Davis" (13:18, HD) engagingly profiles the film's raison d'etre, with Brown, Quaid, Dutton, Fleder, Jim Brown, Ernie's uncle Chuck Davis, Syracuse teammate John Brown, high school classmate Bob Hill, sportscaster and Syracuse alumnus Dick Stockton, Ben Schwartwalder's wife Reggie, Syracuse teammate Ger Schwedes, sportscaster and Syracuse alumnus Bob Costas, Syracuse All-American Floyd Little, Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, and Syracuse teammate Jerry Sobul.
In "Inside the Playbook: Shooting the Football Games" (7:00, HD), Fleder and Graf narrate a reel of footage from the film and behind the scenes, making use of a telestrator when necessary.
"From Hollywood to Syracuse: The Legacy of Ernie Davis" (5:17, HD) promotes the grand legacy of Syracuse University (get those applications in now!). Appearing are Costas, Fleder, Brown, Quaid, Coates, Little, Omar Benson Miller, Syracuse alumni Angela Robinson and Vanessa Williams, Syracuse professors Stephen Masiclat and Peter Moller, and Syracuse students Lisa Coombs, Lauren Levine, Meghan Lisson, John Troynousky, Tinuke Oyefule, and Michael Odofin.
The DVD shares most of the special features, but the cool bonus featurette and a superior transfer make the Blu-ray the way to go.
Review gear: |
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer


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£5,000 reward to reunite Normandy veteran with medals lost on M6
Alfred Barlow, 96, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, was returning home from a pilgrimage to Normandy, France, earlier this month where he fought on the beaches more than 70 years ago.
His wife and grandson carer noticed that his medals were missing after he visited the gents' toilets at Norton Canes Services, near Walsall, on the M6 Toll on Thursday June 8.
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Hide AdCrimestoppers has offered up to £5,000 for information that leads to the recovery of all four medals and the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.
Lord Ashcroft, the chairman of Crimestoppers, said: "After such a moving and poignant trip to Normandy, to lose or have stolen his war medals has been incredibly distressing for this brave former soldier.
"Whilst the actual value of the medals is nominal, the sentimental value is enormous.
"Our reward reflects the war veteran's invaluable service to our country."
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe reward is in addition to a £1,000 offer made by actor Hugh Grant to reunite Mr Barlow with the 1939-1945 Star, the France & Germany Star, the 1939-1945 War Medal and the Palestine Medal.
Mr Barlow, who celebrated his birthday last Sunday, served with 3rd Reconnaissance (Recce) Regiment, 3rd Division, and landed on Sword Beach at 10am on D-Day, June 6 1944.
He said: "I have found it all very distressing.
"These medals are worth very little to sell but to me they are priceless.
"I had intended to pass all of my medals on to my grandson which makes it even more upsetting."
Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or the Blind Veterans UK hotline on 0800 389 7979.


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Simple question. What tune would you say is the most recognized tune? If we limited ourselves to the United States and the present day, the answer might be "Happy Birthday."
What if we included all time and all nations? "Happy Birthday" goes back to only 1893. Some tunes are much older, like "Greensleeves," (16th century) but well-known in only some nations. While others have global reach, but are of more recent vintage, like McCartney's "Yesterday" (1965).
So what do you get if you account for both factors and try to seek the tune that the most people in history would be able to recognized, something that has great durability over time as well as a global reach?
Any ideas? I'll hold my guess and post it later.


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Posted by Editoress on 11/12/08
Rabobank Signs On As Founding Partner Of The 2009 Amgen Tour Of California
Press release
Rabobank, N.A., a leading California community bank, and AEG announced that Rabobank will be a Founding Partner of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Under the three-year sponsorship agreement, Rabobank will be a Founding Partner and the Official Bank of the Amgen Tour of California beginning in 2009 and extending through the 2011 event.
The fourth-annual professional cycling road race will make its way through 16 host cities down the coast and through the Central Valley of California, which will include some of the state's most picturesque highlights, along a demanding 800-mile course. The nine-day race starts on Saturday, February 14, 2009 in Sacramento and concludes on Sunday, February 22, in San Diego County, with a finish in Escondido. The race passes through many of the communities where Rabobank currently has a bank presence or in which it plans to grow.
As part of the sponsorship, Rabobank will present the daily award given to the best young rider for the just concluded daily stage. Each day, all riders who are under the age of 23 compete for this special recognition. The recipient is determined by his overall placement at the finish line after each stage. During the daily awards ceremony, special recognition is given to the winner of the award as he is presented with the specially branded Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey. At the races conclusion, an overall winner of the jersey is also named. Coincidentally, a rider from the Rabobank team has been the overall winner of this jersey for the past two years.
We are pleased to enter into this partnership with AEG and to become the official bank of the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race, said Ronald Blok, chief executive officer of Rabobank, N.A. In just three years, AEG has built the race into a highly professional and well-organized event that attracts millions of spectators and cycling fans in California and, increasingly, around the world. Rabobank has a long association with cycling and a century-old heritage of community banking, so our sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California is an ideal synergy between our commitment to cycling and the growth of our bank in California.
In addition to active participation in the awards ceremonies, Rabobank also will have a significant presence at the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival, where thousands of fans will engage in various cycling, healthy lifestyle and sponsor-supported activities in the city where the race finishes each day. Rabobank will offer special co-branded banking products to promote the banks involvement with the Amgen Tour of California and will feature these
products at the Lifestyle Festival, along with games, giveaways and other items that showcase Rabobanks position as the bank of choice in communities throughout California.
Rabobank has been a sponsor of one of the worlds top elite cycling teams for the past 12 years. Having participated in the Amgen Tour of California the past two years, the team is expected to once again compete.
Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top |


text:
GBH Openvault
Americas; Capital Sins
License Clip
This program cannot be made available on Open Vault.
More material may be available from this program at the GBH Archives. If you would like research access to the collection at GBH, please email firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Series
- Americas
- Program
- Capital Sins
- Program Number
- Series Description
This series is a revealing examination of the contemporary history, politics, economics, religion and social structures of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. From Mexico to the Malvinas, the series presents personal stories that highlight the issues behind the limited images and incomplete information that capture public attention in newspapers and popular magazines. Raul Julia narrates. 101 THE GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS--Sixty years ago, Argentina was one of the 10 richest nations in the world and seemed destined to be a global power. This first program looks at the social and political forces that cheated Argentina of this role and left it to suffer through periods of repressive governments and hard economic times. It is a story that was echoed by much of the rest of Latin America. 102 CAPITAL SINS--This segment looks at the rapid economic growth in the late 1960's and early 1970's, spotlighting the methods Brazil's rulers chose to develop that country and how their choices affected the lives of ordinary Brazilians. The program also examines the stubborn hold of poverty and economic stagnation in the region, and their human and environmental costs. 103 CONTINENT ON THE MOVE--This episode examines the causes and effects of one of the most important forces transforming the Americas: The migration of vast numbers of people within the region. This program is set in Mexico, where migration has moved people across borders, and from rural villages to congested cities. 104 MIRRORS OF THE HEART--Questions of racial, ethnic and national identity run deep in the Caribbean and Latin America. This episode explores shifting ethnic and racial definitions in the region, looking at Bolivia, a nation with a rich Indian tradition, and Hispaniola, an island divided into two nations--Haiti and the Dominican Republic--with different cultural heritages and attitudes toward their African roots. 105 IN WOMEN'S HANDS--In the last quarter-century, the turbulent events in Chile's history--the election and overthrow of socialist President Salvador Allende, the Pinochet dictatorship, a devastating economic crisis--have meant that women of every social class have chosen, or been forced, to adopt new roles. This program is the saga of some of these women, including a town mayor, a doctor, a farm worker and a mother of thirteen. 106 MIRACLES ARE NOT ENOUGH--Traveling to Brazil, this program observes the explosion of theological debate, social activism and spiritual revival that is changing a region where religion has long played an important role in society and politics. --Traveling to Brazil, this program observes the explosion of theological debate, social activism and spiritual revival that is changing a region where religion has long played an important role in society and politics. 107 BUILDERS OF IMAGES--This program celebrates the creative energy that enlivens all forms of artistic expression in Latin America and the Caribbean. The complex, distinctive and increasingly influential artistic "voice" of the Americas is seen in the works of four gifted individuals: a Puerto Rican writer, a Brazilian popular music star, a Mexican actress and an Argentine film director. 108 GET UP, STAND UP--This program travels to Colombia, Jamaica and Panama to look at ways the Americas have tried to control their own destinies. Guerrilla movements, narco- terrorism, international economic pressures and military intervention are just some of the internal and external threats to national sovereignty that these nations have faced. 109 FIRE IN THE MIND--Successful revolutions in Latin America have been rare--but influential. This program looks at revolutionaries in the region today, with a special emphasis on the former guerrilla fighters in El Salvador and the current movement in Peru, and links these movements to the revolutions in Cuba and Nicaragua. 110 THE AMERICANS--This last episode returns to the United States to profile California's Mexican-American population and the Latin American and Caribbean communities of Miami and New York City. Within the next decade, peoples of Latin American and Caribbean heritage will form the largest minority group within the United States. This program poses questions about assimilation, national identity and how these communities are changing what it means to be an American. Series release date: 1/1993
- Program Description
This segment looks at the rapid economic growth in the late 1960's and early 1970's, spotlighting the methods Brazil's rulers chose to develop that country and how their choices affected the lives of ordinary Brazilians. The program also examines the stubborn hold of poverty and economic stagnation in the region, and their human and environmental costs.
- Duration
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- Documentary
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- History
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- Channel 4 (UK) (Series Producer)
- WGBH (Series Producer)
- Vecchione, Judith (Executive Producer)
- Central Television Enterprises (Series Producer)
- Citation
- Chicago: "Americas; Capital Sins," 12/09/1992, GBH Archives, accessed March 5, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_C9EE57763BD84517B0A9D591E9436D75.
- MLA: "Americas; Capital Sins." 12/09/1992. GBH Archives. Web. March 5, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_C9EE57763BD84517B0A9D591E9436D75>.
- APA: Americas; Capital Sins. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_C9EE57763BD84517B0A9D591E9436D75


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Navarre, "Alternative Tourism"
You are invited to explore Navarre, leaving a minimum carbon footprint.
Discover here a journey towards sustainability.
Ideas for all tastes
For all those people who enjoy taking part in activities and living all sorts of experiences. You're sure to find something you'll adore! Take a look and see.
Recommendations for dining options, cultural outings and sports activities -- there's something for everybody.
Festivals, events and shows
And if you get bored, it's because you want to
Desafío Overtrails Adventure
Varias fechas
Desafío Overtrails Adventure
Pintxo week
08 mar - 17 mar
Pintxo week
Events in Holy Week
28 mar - 31 mar
Events in Holy Week
Tell me the company you keep and I'll tell you what to do
Are you set on who you're travelling with?
Regardless of how you make your fun, of your family situation, if you study or work, love sports, art or partying, if you come with little ones or with years of experience in your knapsack, in Navarre it's hard not to find a plan that suits you.
Accessible tourism in Navarre: enjoy the Kingdom with no limits
Are you one for...?
Well it all depends. We can be many things depending on the moment.
Sometimes we like to discover new destinations. Other times we simply like unplugging or changing scenery and stealing away to a beautiful city. One thing is for sure, we're always game for good food!
Become one with nature
Become one with nature
Pamper yourself and relax
Pamper yourself and relax
Urban escapades
Urban escapades
Art and history
Art and history
Discover new flavours
Discover new flavours
Sport and active tourism
Sport and active tourism
When are you coming?
Get the most out of your stay in Navarre with options ideally suited for every season.
Go to Spring
Go to Summer
Go to Autumn
Go to Winter
We hope to see you very soon!
You know that our home is your home


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autoFacebook Lite
By: Jamie Taylor
Don't let the name fool you, this is perhaps the most robust version of autoFacebook yet. Just see the new features below. autoFacebook Lite is a facebook application you simply install to your facebook store page, edit one line of code, and your off and running.autoFacebook lite was started for people who had problems installing my "heavier" autoFacebook 2.0, but because it's a hosted app, it offers more advantages. Like easier install, few errors, quicker fixes, and automatic updates.
For more info check out the facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=134663346580107
What's New:
- Added super simple installation!!!
- Added multipage support!!!
- Added full currency support for Dollar, Pound, and Euro as well as the ability to not user a money sign!!!
- Fixed problem with product descriptions not being added to page
- Added Zen Cart integrated error and status alerts.
- Added more error checking.
- Removed need for JSON support.
- cURL
- Pre-existing Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
This Zen Cart modification is licensed under the GNU General Public License: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt
Getting Help:
Help is available via the Zen Cart forums @ http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153528 or at https://htmyell.com/autofacebook-2-0
1. Go to http://apps.facebook.com/storeupdater, to install the autoFacebook Lite app.
2. Fill in your infomation, and select your page to see a preview of how the listing will look on your page.
3. After clicking submit, you will your page's page Id.
4. Copy and paste that number into line 91 of the included update_product.php, save, and upload the file to your server's admin/includes/modules folder
For more info and to give feedback check the forums.
Hope ya like it


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LONDON – Britain is running a secret Internet surveillance station in the Middle East, a report said Thursday citing the latest leaked documents obtained by fugitive US security contractor Edward Snowden.
The Independent newspaper said it was not disclosing the country where the base is located, but said the facility can intercept emails, telephone calls and web traffic for the United States and other intelligence agencies.
The British base taps into underwater fibre-optic cables in the region, the newspaper said.
It passes the information back to the British electronic eavesdropping agency GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), in Cheltenham, southwest England, which then shares it with the US National Security Agency.
Britain's Foreign Office said when contacted by AFP about the report that "we do not comment on intelligence matters".
The Independent did not say how it obtained the details from the Snowden files.
Snowden, a former NSA contractor, first released details of US and British surveillance activities through the Guardian newspaper earlier this year. Russia has granted him temporary asylum as he bids to avoid prosecution in the United States.
British counter-terror police on Thursday launched a criminal investigation into documents seized from the boyfriend of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, the reporter who broke the Snowden story.
The Guardian said this week that GCHQ experts had on July 20 supervised the destruction of the hard drives and memory chips on which its Snowden material had been saved.
The government has confirmed that Prime Minister David Cameron's most senior policy advisor, Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood, was sent to tell the Guardian they had to either destroy or return the material, or face legal action.
Related Reading: British Police Can Partially Examine Seized Snowden Docs


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American Volkssport Association President Heinz Johnson confirmed that AVA provided a 42-member joint marching unit to walk in the April 28, 2012, Fiesta Flambeau Night Parade, the largest illuminated night parade in the nation.
"Taking advantage of this opportunity to walk a few kilometers and gain tons of favorable publicity for Volkssporting was a no brainer," Johnson said. The parade was viewed by a live crowd of over 600,000 street spectators along a 2.6 mile parade route.
Another estimated 1.5 million viewers watched the parade live and commercial-free on KLRN, a San Antonio public television station. Additionally, it was streamed on the World Wide Web (www.fiestaflambeau.org), adding international exposure for volkssporting and the association. Marchers from the following Texas Volkssport Association clubs participated: Volkssportverein Fredericksburg, Texas Wanderers, Houston Happy Hikers, NB Marsch und Wandergruppe, Randolph Roadrunners, West Texas Trail Walkers, Colorado River Walkers, Selma Pathfinders, Kerrville Trailblazers and two staff members from the AVA Headquarters.
Gaining recognition and publicity for the American Volkssport Association on a local, regional and national level remains an essential element of efforts to retain and increase membership in existing clubs and to establish new clubs nationwide.


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New domain names bound for collisions: 'Things are going to break'
Connecting state and local government leaders
Concerns persist that new generic Top Level Domains being approved for the Internet could conflict with internal naming schemes, disrupting networks with naming collisions.
The Internet is on the brink of the largest expansion of generic Top Level Domains in its history, with as many as 1,000 new strings expected to be added over the next year, more than quadrupling the current gTLD space.
Some observers, including the operator of two of the Internet's root zone servers, worry that this expansion of public domains could result in naming collisions with private internal network domains, disrupting those networks.
"We know things are going to break," said Danny McPherson, chief security officer of Verisign, the company that runs the A and J root servers. Networks in the .gov domain could be affected, as well as those supporting emergency services such as public safety answering points for the nation's 911 system. "It makes us uneasy," McPherson said.
At risk is any enterprise with a network naming scheme using domain names for non-public resources that are the same as new domain name strings now being considered for approval on the Internet. There are 1,833 such names now being considered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, and the approved new gTLDs could begin being delegated in the root system later this year.
The resulting collisions could cause some networks to become about as useless as the Washington Beltway on Friday afternoon.
The solution is to change those internal domain names to avoid naming collisions. But this can be a complex job for a large enterprise, and McPherson worries that many administrators are not aware of the issue. He believes the 12 root zone operators have a responsibility to monitor the global systems to identify potential collision situations and warn network operators in advance. But there is no zone-wide system to provide that visibility.
Top Level Domains are the suffixes on URLs that appear to the right of the final dot in the address, such as .gov and .com. There now are 317 of these, including country names such as .us and .uk. Name servers in the Domain Name System use authoritative lists maintained in the 13 root servers to associate URLs with an IP address to direct queries. The potential problem with the domain expansion is that requests for a network's internal domains are routinely checked against the global DNS database as well as the local enterprise name database. If the domain name is not in the global database, it looks for it in the local database, and the query is directed to the proper server within the network.
But if that internal name is added to the Internet's collection of domains, the internal request will be sent out to the Internet and the user will not be able to access resources on his own network.
How likely is this to happen? Take .home for instance. This is a default internal domain name used on millions of pieces of home networking equipment. McPherson said .home is one of the top five queries received by Verisign's root servers. It also is one of the most coveted new gTLDs being considered, with 11 applicants. Other commonly used internal domain names being considered for the Internet include .inc, .corp, .cloud and .mail.
McPherson also is concerned that less commonly used names such as .med that might be used by hospitals and clinics for connecting with health care equipment could suddenly become unavailable internally if .med goes onto the Internet.
Ideally, if you are managing a network you would be warned by the root zone operators when they notice local domain queries from your network that would be likely to result in collisions. With no system in place for monitoring for this, however, the responsibility falls on network administrators to know their naming schemes, pay attention to ICANN's new gTLD program, and make sure they are not using new Internet domains internally.
NEXT STORY: Boom times for mobile security


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New 2009 photos and trip reports on the News page.
Welcome to Manitou Island Bird Survey
In 2002 a group of Keweenaw birders began a survey of the birds of Manitou Island, off the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Lake Superior. Through 2007 we've made seventeen visits to Manitou totaling 63 days and we've recorded 204 species. We've documented a very large raptor migration to Manitou in the spring. In both 2002 and 2003 we recorded over 700 raptors on Manitou in just a few days. On the 24th of April 2006 we recorded over 1300 raptors in the air at one time! During four visits during the breeding season we've recorded a list of over 80 species as at least possible breeders and have confirmed 12. Both our spring and fall visits show a significant flow of waterbirds passing by Manitou.
During 2007 we made one weeklong visit and in the spring of 2008 we will be sending observers to Manitou in late May to check on late migration of raptors and passerines, to look for early breeding species and to make a special effort to find breeding owls.
We've been supported financially by: the Copper Country Audubon Club, a Michigan DNR Non-Game Heritage Grant, the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas II, Laughing Whitefish Audubon of Marquette and several private citizens. Over 90% of our funding so far has gone to pay for transporation to and from the island. Our observers volunteer their efforts. Any financial help would be greatly appreciated.
We are a proud winner of the Golden Pasty Award
Snowy Owl Immature Bald Eagle chased by gull Ruby-crowned Kinglet


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Obama expected to tap Geithner for Treasury
NY Federal Reserve President Timothy Geithner would assume one of the toughest jobs in the country.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- President-elect Barack Obama is expected to nominate New York Federal Reserve President Timothy Geithner for Treasury Secretary.
Two sources close to the transition told CNN on Friday that Geithner is "on track" to be offered the post. An announcement is expected within days.
Geithner has played a central role in the government's efforts to wrangle the credit crisis, which has damaged markets and economies worldwide. While a number of those efforts have been controversial, Geithner remains a well-regarded figure from Wall Street to Washington.
In the wake of the Geithner news, stocks soared in late-day trade on Friday. The Dow closed nearly 500 points higher, pushing back above 8,000, after a dismal week.
Many believe the post of Treasury Secretary will be the most important in the next administration's cabinet. And indeed, Geithner would inherit one of the toughest jobs in Washington.
Geithner would be charged with restoring stability to the financial markets, the banking system and the housing sector through oversight of the controversial $700 billion financial rescue package, of which about half is still available for use at the discretion of the Treasury Secretary.
He would also be chief overseer of the international push to reform the regulatory regime for the financial system, which, like a sputtering lemon on the autobahn, has been severely outrun by 21st century developments in financial practices and products.
His overarching task: Ensure that what happened to world markets and economies in the fall of 2008 never happens again.
In the span of just two months, Americans and investors around the world have lost trillions in wealth, economies have fallen into recession like dominoes and the current prospects for recovery are insufficient to offer comfort. All the while, the foreclosure beat goes on, with roughly 165,000 more Americans losing their homes in September and October, bringing the total to 936,000 since August 2007.
Expect Geithner, if nominated, to roll up his sleeves and get busy even before his confirmation hearings with Congress, which could come before Inauguration Day.
Henry Paulson, the current Treasury Secretary, has indicated that he's reserved office space for his successor so that the Bush and Obama Treasury teams can work closely to insure a smooth transition during what has become the most tumultuous period for the U.S. financial system and economy in recent history.
Often described as brilliant but modest, Geithner, 47, has held for the past five years one of the most powerful, if little known, jobs in the country as president of the New York Federal Reserve. His post at the New York Fed is essentially one of Wall Street watchdog. He also sits on the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets the country's monetary policy.
"His reputation is excellent," said former Federal Reserve Governor Lyle Gramley, who adds he doesn't know Geithner personally.
Geithner was the U.S. Federal Reserve's point person on the rescue of Bear Stearns and American International Group (AIG, Fortune 500) as well as in the failed talks to keep Lehman Brothers out of bankruptcy.
Lehman's demise is blamed by many for the freeze up in global credit markets that followed immediately afterwards.
He is typically cited as one of the few people on or off Wall Street who can begin to untangle the murky and unregulated market of credit default swaps, the so-called "side bets" that felled AIG. He has pushed for greater transparency and the creation of a central clearinghouse where credit default swaps could be recorded and secured. And, according to Fortune, he has gotten informal promises from banks that they would participate.
Prior to joining the Fed, he served as director of policy development and review at the International Monetary Fund. Before that, he was the under secretary of the Treasury for international affairs under Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers.
His is an international background, which would come in handy at a time when G-20 governments have pledged to coordinate efforts to dig out their economies and markets. Geithner has lived in China, Japan, Thailand, India and East Africa. He got his bachelor's from Dartmouth in government and Asian studies and his master's in international economics and East Asian studies from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Indeed, during his years at the Treasury, he played a central role in the agency's handling of international crises. A profile of him in The New Republic asserted that without his influence "the '90s might have looked very different ... [His role made him] Treasury's first-responder to foreign-currency emergencies, like the kind that plagued East Asia throughout the decade."
CNN's Gloria Borger contributed to this report.


text: Sol Computer, a California-based distributor that focuses on sunlight-readable technology, has a high-end line of rugged netbook laptops, is planning to sell a similar tablet for $950 later this year. It looks a lot like they are targeting an OLPC use case in the developed world — sunlight-readable, child- and abuse-friendly devices. Nice to know there is a market for that, and that it has discovered Pixel Qi.


text:
New players - enquiries firstname.lastname@example.com
In partnership with the AMWU, together supporting the community
Casey Comets Football Club
Specialist Steel Contractor in heavy commercial and industrial works
Full-service structural and architectural steel specialist
Electrical Trades Union
Proud to be a Platinum City Club partner
Sponsor SL1 WomenFree Trios Membership for Casey Comets Members
Leaders in Structural and Vibration Isolation
Football Nation Radio. A Radio Revolution. Streaming Football 24/7.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) launched AusBid2023.com - the official website for Australians to #GetOnside and submit registrations of support for Australia's FIFA Women's World Cup 2023T Bid. Do it today - Show your support for the Matildas -Let's host the Women' s World Cup in 2023


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Up until about a year ago, I had no budget, no financial restraints holding me back from acquiring goods and services. No salary cap in the life of this yuppie. Then the stock markets' violent dip into the abyss acted as my accounting alarm clock.
The piercing beeps of economic epiphany began to take refuge in my brain. I was convinced that I needed to set a budget and, more importantly, stick to it.
Like Jim Leyland and the Tigers' cigarette ban in the dugout, I've obeyed the rules, maybe a little too closely.
The latest financial headlines continue to consume my interest in print, television and online. Hell, I'll admit it, I've been known to clip a coupon. And you know what? That money saved has been parlayed into wise investments.
With a non-existent salary cap in Major League Baseball, general managers have made it a habit to back load contracts.
You could consider this practice a contract coupon. BOGO (Buy one HR, get one free) deals are all the rage when a blossoming superstar erupts his second year in the bigs, while the franchise is still paying him the minimum.
Perusing the salaries around the league, outside the major markets, some franchises are earning a healthy return of investment on baseball's best bargains.
All-Budget Lineup | ||
Player | 2010 Salary | |
1 | Austin Jackson | $400k |
2 | Alberto Callaspo | $460k |
3 | Evan Longoria | $950k |
4 | Mark Reynolds | $833k |
5 | Ryan Braun | $1.287-mil |
6 | Nelson Cruz | $440k |
7 | Joey Votto | $525k |
8 | Matt Wieters | $400k |
9 | Elvis Andrus | $418k |
Starting Pitcher | 2010 Salary | |
Ubaldo Jiminez | $1.25-mil |
Tampa Bay's Mr. Everything, Evan Longoria, has
provided plenty of bang for the buck in 2010. As of May 24th, he's hitting .318 with 9 dingers and 38 ribbies. Yet, Evan's still $50k away from the million-dollar club.
– – – – – – Braun's Bottom Line: .324, 7 HRs, 30 RBI
Votto is averaging a .307 batting average, with 29 homers and 99 RBI during his tenure with the Reds. At the ripe old age of 26, his $525k salary will be back, back, back gone soon.
The All-Budget team possesses depth on the bench in Geovany Soto ($575k), Shin Soo-Choo ($461,100), Jason Heyward ($400k), Ike Davis ($400k), Chase Headley ($427,700), Jacoby Elsbury ($496,500), Felipe Lopez ($1-mil), Garrett Jones ($425k) and Andruw Jones ($500k).
The rest of the ration includes Chris Volstad ($420k), Francisco Loriano ($1.6-mil), Phil Hughes ($447k), and Clayton Kershaw (440k) with Joba Chamberlain ($487,975) as the closer.
The 25-man roster's total payroll adds up to just over $15-million. Though the construction of an All-Budget team falls somewhere between fantasy and lunacy (mainly because the average experience of this roster is 3 major league seasons), this highlights how out of control free-agent spending has become.
Can you imagine what kind of coin Longoria is going to expect come 2014, a season after raking in a modest $6-million? That is assuming the young man's offensive production remains consistent over the next three seasons.
This leads me to the penance some general managers and scouts face for overvaluing talent on the free agent market.
MLB's Revenue Risks roster compiles those veterans signed to hefty contracts based on past performances. GMs push the financial pedal to the floor with these transactions. Only to learn in 2010, the tank is closer to E than F.
Revenue Risks Lineup | ||
Player | 2010 Salary | |
1 | Bill Hall | $8.525-mil |
2 | Marco Scutaro | $5.5-mil |
3 | Casey Blake | $6.25-mil |
4 | Carlos Pena | $10.125-mil |
5 | Pat Burrell | $9-mil |
6 | Michael Cuddyer | $9.416-mil |
7 | Nate McClouth | $5-mil |
8 | Chris Snyder | $5.25-mil |
9 | Julio Lugo | $9.25-mil |
Starting Pitcher | 2010 Salary | |
Oliver Perez | $12-mil |
The Milwaukee Brewers are still on the hook for over $7-million of Hall's $8.5-million dollar salary. He's currently (as of May 24th) hitting .188 with three home runs for the Red Sox.
Carlos Pena's Production: .187, 7 HRs, 27 RBI – – – – – –
Burrell almost got a pass on the Revenue Risks roster, but then the Rays designated the designated hitter for assignment. At $9-million, Burrell's lack of production at the plate forced Tampa Bay to part ways and eat the contract.
Because of the low supply and high demand for pitching around the league, general managers approach the negotiation table the same way a lonely college student approaches the main stage at Girls! Girls! Girls!
They empty their wallets without a second thought because, well, that's what you do: Jake Westbrook ($11-million), Jeff Suppan ($12.5-million), Aaron Harang ($12.5-million), Jeremy Bonderman ($12.5-million), Dontrelle Willis ($12-million), and newly named Mets reliever Oliver Perez ($12- million). Coming out to close games will be (when he's healthy) Brian Fuentes ($9-million).
The accumulated 2010 stat line (as of May 18th) for these seven hurlers is a 6-14 record, 4 saves and a 5.42 earned run average.
David Ortiz ($13-million) and Travis Hafner ($11.5-million) are available options off the bench. Finding overpaid athletes in the cap-less MLB is as challenging as picking Waldo out of a lineup, but justifying which names appear on the roster is a tough balance.
MLB 2010 Payrolls | ||
Team | 2010 Payroll | |
1 | Yankees | $206.3-mil |
2 | Red Sox | $162.4-mil |
3 | Cubs | $146.6-mil |
Team | 2010 Payroll | |
28 | Athletics | $51.6-mil |
29 | Padres | $37.7-mil |
30 | Pirates | $34.4-mil |
The glaring omission most critics will question, and fill my inbox demanding answers as to why, is Alex Rodriguez.
I would agree, unless A-Rod finds a cure for cancer while playing the hot corner this season, his $33-million contract is extreme.
However, when you break down his career averages of .304, 43 homers, and 128 RBI and also factor in his value to the Yankees in terms of jersey sales and butts in seats, perhaps it's warranted.
The same cannot be said of a Bill Hall, Michael Cuddyer or Julio Lugo. When was the last time you heard somebody say, "I can't wait to get to the ball game, spend eight bucks on a beer and watch Julio Lugo do his thing."?
Though talented enough to reach the big leagues and tease the faithful with moments of brilliance, is their past productivity worth that much dough? Hall is a .250 lifetime hitter and has never finished a season hitting over .300.
Even this season, the big market cash cows in New York, Boston and Chicago are proving 9-figure payrolls don't necessarily equate to wins.
If you take the ten highest payrolls and add up their 2010 wins-to-date (as of May 19th), they tally 208. The ten lowest payrolls have racked up 193 wins. Of those bottom ten, the Padres, A's, Rangers, Marlins, Nationals and Blue Jays are at or above .500.
As long as the salary-cap in Major League Baseball remains a talking point instead of a reality, the free-agent funnel will continue to filter into the bigger markets.
But it's the general managers in smaller markets and their platoon of scouts that truly earn their paycheck.
To stock up a farm system and build a prosperous foundation around young talent and future potential, instead of signing the big name to a big contract, is a gift.
The financial restraints of choosing sports journalism as my craft taught me to find the value in the goods and services I've bought over the last year.
Small market baseball front offices are learning to play by the same set of rules. When the piggy bank is broken, it's wise not to rush out and buy a new one, but see what you have around the house to put it back together.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


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Slips and Falls
"Read my lips: The earth is not flat." - Christopher Columbus, 1492 |
The world is an obstacle course. There are stairs to climb, potholes to avoid, uneven or cracked pavement, structural defects and many other safety hazards in our way. Often, we can spot and avoid these risks. But, as a "rosie" old nursery rhyme says, eventually "we all fall down."
Sometimes, we get in our own way, hastily tripping over our own feet or failing to watch where we are going. If we failed to take care to avoid obvious hazards, such "contributory negligence" will preclude us from recovering from someone else.
But when defects are hard to spot, property is poorly lit, or other hidden hazards bring us down, property owners and occupiers may be held responsible for injuries resulting from a failure to maintain their premises in a safe condition.
When filing a premises liability case, it is important to understand that not all plaintiffs are treated equally. The degree of care owed to injured victims varies with the circumstances under which they entered the property in the first place:
Injured Person | Basis for Entering the Property |
Examples | Duty of Care for Victim's Safety |
Invitees | invited or allowed onto the property for purposes related to the owner's or occupier's business | customers, clients, mailman, package delivery, janitorial service | must use reasonable care to see that areas the invitee may be expected to use are safe |
Social Guests or Licensees by Invitation |
not conducting business with property owner or occupier, but invited or allowed onto the premises as express or implied guests | dinner guests, friends visiting, your mother-in-law (arguably, a bare licensee?) | must use reasonable care to make the premises safe or to warn the guest of known dangerous conditions that cannot reasonably be discovered by the guest |
Bare Licensees | not invited and not serving the interests of the owner or occupier, but allowed on the premises to serve their own interests | fund raisers, solicitors, door-to-door salespeople, missionaries | must refrain from willful injury or entrapment; otherwise, no duty to remove hazards or provide for safety |
Trespassers | neither invited nor allowed on the premises | pedestrians taking a shortcut through your backyard, rowdy teens sneaking into your swimming pool, burglars | must refrain from willful injury or entrapment; otherwise, no duty to remove hazards or provide for safety |
Notice of Defect
Property owners are not strictly liable for all injuries occurring on the premises. Even where business or social guests suffer injury, owners, occupiers and landlords are not considered to be insurers of safety. Since they may only be held liable for negligence in failing to exercise reasonable care, even proving the presence of a hazardous condition is not enough to win.
To establish premises liability, injured guests must show that those responsible for maintaining the premises had sufficient notice of the hazard but failed to take reasonable safety precautions. For example, if a PhatFoods shopper slipped on olive oil from a leaking container in aisle 3, she must prove that the grocery store either knew about the leak with enough time to remove it before the accident, or that it should have discovered this hazard with reasonable inspection. If, by contrast, it appears that the leak just started prior to the accident, the grocer will argue that it lacked sufficient notice and did not breach any duty of care toward the injured patron.
These cases typically turn on these types of factual questions and it is not always easy to produce sufficient evidence of notice. That is why it is particularly important to conduct a thorough investigation of the circumstances as soon as possible following such accidents.
Landlord-Tenant Cases
Premises liability cases often pit an injured tenant against an allegedly negligent landlord.
Landlord's Duty with Respect to Common Areas or Reserved Facilities
The landlord who sets aside a portion of the property or reserves facilities for the common use of tenants, owes the tenants a duty to exercise reasonable care to keep those portions or facilities in a safe condition. This duty extends to the tenant's family, guests and invitees.
Landlord's Duty to Protect Against Criminals
Your landlord may not be your bodyguard. But he still has a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of tenants and invitees. If a landlord knows or by the exercise of reasonable care should know that criminal activity against persons or property has occurred on the premises, he must take reasonable measures to protect tenants and invitees against these crimes.
In determining whether the measures taken by the landlord were sufficient, the landlord's acts can be measured only by the criminal activities occurring on the landlord's property and of which the landlord knew or should have known and not by those criminal activities occurring generally in the surrounding neighborhood.


text:
Vacation Rentals, World, USA Vacation Rentals
USA Vacation homes, condos, apartments & villas for your next vacation!
Search by availability dates:
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Long before the USA's declaration of independence in 1776, people were vacationing to the Americas. Christopher Columbus in 1493, the English settlers in 1607, and the Pilgrims in 1620 all selected the land that we now call the USA, as their premier travel destination!
United States vacation homes, United States vacation rentals, USA villas, USA cabins, USA condos, and USA chalets are the best way to enjoy any of the four seasons. If you want to plan a family beach vacation along the California coast, watch the fall leaves light up the New England sky line, ski or snowboard the mountains of Colorado, or see the cherry blossoms bloom in Washington, D.C., the USA is the place to visit. A United States vacation rental will give you and your fellow travelers room to make yourselves at home while exploring travel destinations rich in history, natural beauty, and American heritage. Whatever your travel budget, may be, a variety of United States vacation rentals are available.
There is no place like home… except when you stay at a United States vacation rental! If you are looking for a lavish, 5-star Hollywood penthouse or a modest pet-friendly, lakeside cabin rental in the Carolinas, the United States has it all. Reserve your vacation rental directly by owner and ask about their local attractions.
The beauty of USA vacation rental homes is that the options are endless. Rent an apartment directly by owner in Manhattan, New York to watch the ball drop in Times Square for New Years Eve or book a ski vacation rental in Salt Lake City, Utah and experience world-class Olympic skiing and snowboarding.
United States ski vacation rentals are always in demand. Make a reservation directly by owner and start planning your ski vacation right away. Colorado ski chalets and Lake Tahoe, California ski condo rentals are perfect for the all-around winter sports lover. Perfectly groomed slopes can be found just about anywhere in United States and Wyoming ski vacation rentals are no expectation! Vermont has the perfect mixture of skiing, dining, shopping, and culture all wrapped up in quaint but classy New England towns. And, if you are looking to escape the snow during the US's winter months, book a vacation rental directly by owner in Orlando, Florida and visit Disney World. Disney World is full of enchanting entertainment, timeless attractions, adored Disney characters and spectacular parades and fireworks extravaganzas in a place where fairytale dreams can come true.
Grand Canyon, Arizona vacation rentals are always in demand since the weather remains hot and sunny 365 days a year! Or if you want to see all the major tourist attractions in the USA, map out your route, make reservations directly by owners throughout the country and experience a true American tradition – the classic cross-country road trip. You will drive through all 4 seasons coast to coast and stay in United States vacation homes, US villas, US condos, and everything else in between.
Spring into the warmer weather in the US and book a vacation rental in Alaska. You would not normally think of Alaska as a spring vacation destination, but during the month of May, at the Glacier Bay National Park, the days are at their sunniest and glaciers are prevalent in the bay as ice from the surrounding mountains slides down to the water, also home to humpback whales, moose, and black and brown bears. Catch the U.S. Virgin Islands between high and hurricane season as prices drop in mid-April. Caribbean vacation rentals and Caribbean villas have travel bargains galore during this off-season.
You can never go wrong with a beach vacation rental home in Florida but don't forget about the world-renowned golf vacations that the United States has to offer during the summer months. North Carolina vacation rentals, South Carolina vacation homes, and West Virginia homes for rent present the opportunity to play golf at some of the world's most elite courses. American beach vacations certainly do provide the most diverse rental options. Beach vacation condos at the Jersey Shore or San Diego, California are great choices but lakeside New Hampshire vacation cabins for rent directly by owner or New York's Hampton Beach villa rentals are not to be missed.
If you want a chill in the air without seeing your breath in front of you, fall is the best time to visit American vacation rentals. Bike ride from your Sonoma, California vacation rental to the wineries or travel to America's Heartland. American Midwest vacation rentals are home to abundant nature including the massive Great Lakes and the vast northwoods which cover northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. If leaf peeping is in your fall vacation plans, it is said that New Hampshire is the best place on Earth where the combination of climate, landscape, and variety of tree's allows such a magnificent color show.
If you want to spend less time outdoors and more time pampering yourself, travel vacation rentals in Chicago, Philadelphia, or Los Angeles. Spend the weekend in a bustling American city enjoying luxury spa treatments or dining at luscious eateries. Rent a vacation home directly by owner and no matter what your fancy is, the United States has tons of relaxing activities for the whole family throughout its 50 states!
· Florida is bigger than the country of England! Imagine how many vacation homes are there!
· There is a telephone booth in the middle of the Mojave Desert! Think there is a vacation villa there, too?
· If you want to see Egyptian ruins just visit Central Park in New York. There is a 3,000 year old obelisk named Cleopatra's Needle. It stands 66 feet tall and weighs 220 tons!
· The largest city in the U.S. is Juneau, Alaska. It covers 3,000 square miles. Louisiana has 2,482 islands, covering nearly 1.3 million acres. That's a lot of island vacation rentals!
· The tallest building in the U.S., Sears Tower, in Chicago
· Although gambling is No. 1, weddings are the second-largest industry in Nevada. Known as the Marriage Capital of the World, Average number of Vegas weddings per day 315.
· The Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Kauai is the world's largest bird sanctuary. It is home to many seabirds.
· Kilauea volcano on the Big Island is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in the world.
· There are no poisonous snakes in Maine, but there are vacation homes!
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As catastrophes go, sea level rise is probably fairly low on everybody's list. The most dire effects will be felt over many decades or centuries, whereas the jobless are wondering what's going to happen to them next month or next year. Still, expanding oceans provide a longer term perspective on where humanity stands with respect to Planet Earth.
Today's title comes from a 2009 book The Rising Sea by Rob Young and Orrin Pilkey. (Parts of the book are available online.) In their last report (AR4, 2007) on global warming, the bureaucrats at the IPCC left out a rather important factor regarding sea level change—
Given the complexities of forecasting how much the melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets will contribute to increases in global sea level, the IPCC chose not to include these giant ice masses in their calculations, thus ignoring what is likely to be the most important source of sea level rise in the 21st century. Arguing that too little was understood about ice sheet collapse to construct a mathematical model upon which even a rough estimate could be based, the IPCC came up with sea level predictions using thermal expansion of the oceans and melting of mountain glaciers outside the poles. Its results were predictably conservative — a maximum of a two-foot rise this century — and were even a foot lower than an earlier IPCC report that factored in some melting of Greenland's ice sheet.
Whoops! Young and Pilkey (and many others) decided to include what the IPCC left out. Their conclusion? Societies should prepare for 7 feet (2.13 meters) of sea level rise by 2100!
... there should be no confusion about the serious threat posed by rising sea levels, especially as evidence has mounted in the past two years of the accelerated pace of melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets.
The message for the world's leaders and decision makers is that sea level rise is real and is only going to get worse. Indeed, we make the case in our recent book, The Rising Sea, that governments and coastal managers should assume the inevitability of a seven-foot rise in sea level. This number is not a prediction. But we believe that seven feet is the most prudent, conservative long-term planning guideline for coastal cities and communities, especially for the siting of major infrastructure; a number of academic studies examining recent ice sheet dynamics have suggested that an increase of seven feet or more is not only possible, but likely. Certainly, no one should be expecting less than a three-foot rise in sea level this century.
We need to put this in perspective. What does a 1 meter (= 3.28 feet) rise in sea level portend?
If shorelines retreat naturally, a one meter rise would inundate 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 square miles) of dry land, an area the size of Massachusetts; rises of 50 and 200cm would result in losses of 13,000 and 31,000 square kilometers (5,000 and 12,000 square miles), respectively. Seventy percent of the losses would occur in the southeast, particularly Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina; the eastern shores of Chesapeake and Delaware Bays would also lose considerable acreage.
Although I haven't read their book, it seems clear that 7 feet is a planning number based on our large uncertainties regarding ice sheet (West Antarctica, Greenland) dynamics as the world warms. Previous forecasts cited in The Copenhagen Diagnosis are shown below.
100 centimeters = 1 meter. Forecasts for 2100 are anywhere from 0.5 to 1.4 meters, with a projected rise by 2200 of about 3.5 meters in the worst case
What specific areas will be inundated? Coastal cities, obviously—
The world's major coastal cities will undoubtedly receive most of the attention as sea level rise threatens infrastructure. Miami tops the list of most endangered cities in the world, as measured by the value of property that would be threatened by a three-foot rise. This would flood all of Miami Beach and leave downtown Miami sitting as an island of water, disconnected from the rest of Florida. Other threatened U.S. cities include New York/Newark, New Orleans, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Tampa-St Petersburg, and San Francisco. Osaka/Kobe, Tokyo, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Nagoya are among the most threatened major cities outside of North America.
What should we go about this? I doubt we'll do much of anything, because human life on Earth is going to be such an unholy mess by 2100 that most people—cunning, well-armed bands of marauders who have managed to stay alive—will be lucky if they can scavenge enough edible food & potable water to get them through the day. And there won't be any bounty of the sea.
Still, Young and Pilkey feel compelled to include the Obligatory Hope—
Despite the dire facts, the next century of rising sea level need not be an economic disaster. Thoughtful planning can lead to a measured retreat from vulnerable coastal lowlands. We recommend the following:
- Immediately prohibit the construction of high-rise buildings and major infrastructure in areas vulnerable to future sea level rise. Buildings placed in future hazardous zones should be small and movable — or disposable.
- Relocation of buildings and infrastructure should be a guiding philosophy. Instead of making major repairs on infrastructure such as bridges, water supply, and sewer and drainage systems, when major maintenance is needed, go the extra mile and place them out of reach of the sea.
- Etc.
I've seen this kind of thing many, many times before, so I decided to generalize it—
Despite the dire situation, _______ need not be an economic disaster. Thoughtful planning can lead to happy solution _______. Toward that end, we recommend the following:
- Impossible task 1
- Impossible task 2
- ...
- Impossible task n
How high will sea level rise by 2050? That's a scant 40 years from now, so it's a little easier to envision. My best guess is that 0.5 meters (1 foot, 7.68 inches) is the worst case. Paleontologist Peter Ward, in a burst of fancy in his new book The Flooded Earth, envisions a world where sea level rises a full meter by 2050. Thus we would lose coastal areas the size of Massachusetts. Peter, fear mongering is best left to non-scientists who have no idea what they're talking about. (And I've read most of Ward's books.)
The danger is that ice sheet responses to a warming Earth really are uncertain, and there is indeed evidence that melting & breakup has proceeded faster than was previously thought possible. If you're keeping track, sea level rise should be on your disaster list, even if you have more pressing concerns at the moment.


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By Jonathan Crouch
What would interest you in buying a used Toyota Auris? Decent drive dynamics? A sharp sense of style? A wide choice of efficient engines? All of that is on offer - in theory at leasyt - from this post-2015-era Auris, an improved version of the MK2 model. This was a more confident Focus-class family hatch that's good value, was British-built and amongst family hatches made in this period, is uniquely available in this segment with hybrid power. If you're shopping in this sector, you might not be considering it - but perhaps you should be.
5dr family hatch / 'Touring Sports' estate (1.2T, 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel, 1.8 petrol/electric hybrid)
We buy cars for all sorts of reasons, some sensible but others rather more personal. While it's the extreme designs that tend to grab the headlines, there's still a lot to be said for models that simply work ever so effectively in the real world: like this one, the significantly improved second generation version of Toyota's Auris, launched in 2015.
It's a family hatchback developed from experience that bought us the best selling car of this kind in history, Toyota's Corolla, 35 million examples of which were sold in its lifetime before the first generation Auris model took over in 2007. This original Auris, its name derived from the Latin, 'aurum', for gold, arrived as a safe and sensible choice that built upon the strengths of its predecessor without threatening the Focus and Golf fraternity in any particular way. It did though, have the distinction of pioneering hybrid power in this segment back in 2010.
But the world's biggest brand needed to go further in a market increasingly demanding more dynamic, appealingly styled, hi-tech and efficient products. With tough competition not only from the mainstream makers but also from up-and-coming Korean budget brands, the company needed to give the Auris a more contemporary look and feel, hence the original introduction of this second generation version in 2012. Unfortunately, the sharper exterior looks weren't really replicated inside. And, more significantly, this model had to carry over much of its engineering from its first generation predecessor. It all meant that Focus segment buyers not sold on the concept of hybrid power often ignored Toyota's contender in this class, an increasing problem for the Japanese brand in the face of the continually improving opposition.
Hence the need for the heavily revised MK2 model Auris we're going to look at here as a used buy, a car launched in the Summer of 2015 and featuring a range of changes that also allowed Toyota to launch this design in the American market. These enhancements include a smarter look, both inside and out; improved driving dynamics that deliver sharper steering, better ride quality and additional refinement; and a rejuvenated Euro6 engine line-up featuring an new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol powerplant. There was also extra safety technology and cutting-edge connectivity to complete what was certainly a much-improved package. It sold until late 2018, after which the car was replaced by a returning new-era version of the Toyota Corolla.
What You Get
The original design of this second generation Auris model was a lot slicker than its predecessor, incorporating what Toyota calls its 'keen look' - all sharp angles and smart, rakish lines. And that more purposeful lower-slung styling was further developed with this revised MK2 model, which features redesigned front and rear sections that aim to give the car a broader stance and what the Japanese brand hoped would be 'a more prestigious and sophisticated presence'.
Look around at the wheel and you'll see that the cheap silver paint finishes of the original MK2 Auris model have been replaced by real chrome, there's a classy 'piano black' finish for the prominent door pulls and the more curvaceous dashboard gets a smoother, soft-touch surface and a smart stitched trimming. And the rear seat? Well Toyota was always proud of the fact that the Auris was one of the most compact cars in the family hatchback class, though you might not think this to be a particularly good thing if you've a family of five to carry about.
Fortunately, some very careful design has ensured that you don't notice the compact dimensions. Take the sloping rear roof height for example, disguised by the way that the ceiling gently bulges over your head. And out back? Does the relatively compact shape compromise boot space? No really. There's quite a high loading lip, but the wider tailgate opening introduced with the original version of this second generation model is welcome and beyond it, there's the capacity to swallow up to 435-litres if you load to the roof - pretty good by class standards and far more than you'd get from, say, a rival Ford Focus from this era.
What You Pay
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What to Look For
Very little goes wrong with the Toyota Auris. Look for the usual parking scuffs and scraped alloy wheels. Check the wear on tyres for signs of suspension misalignment and check that the car has been regularly oil serviced. Otherwise, there's not really much else to worry about. The interiors have proven hardwearing although the one moan existing Auris owners repeat about their cars is that the complex dashboard mouldings can creak and rattle. In our ownership survey, one owner complained of faulty sensors that sometimes refused to work in winter and gave error messages every few meters along with a constantly flashing orange warning light. There were complaints about the infotainment screen's smartphone-projection feature. One owner had a problem with slipping gears on the MMT semi-auto gearbox.
Replacement Parts
(approx based on a 1.2T five-door ex VAT) An air filter is priced in the £5 to £15 bracket. An oil filter costs in the £3 to £6 bracket. On to brakes. A set of front pads tend to retail in the £30 to £45 bracket; for rear pads, it's around £20 for a set. Front brake discs retail at around £60, but pricier brands cost in the £103-£112 bracket. Rear brake discs cost in the £44-£77 bracket. Wiper blades can cost in the £10 to £18 bracket.
On the Road
You don't buy an Auris if you're seeking a really dynamic driving experience from a family hatchback of this kind but in second generation form, this car proved to be a big improvement on its unexceptional predecessor. This revised MK2 model made another step forward in this regard, courtesy of a package of changes primarily aimed at enhancing comfort and day-to-day ease of use. In this form, the car was quieter and offered sharper steering. The car rides a little better too than its earlier predecessors too, though the extent to which you'll feel that depends on the engine variant you choose.
The two oldest Auris powerplants, the 99bhp 1.33-litre VVT-i petrol unit and the 90bhp 1.4-litre D-4D diesel, must be satisfied with a rudimentary torsion bar rear suspension set-up. That's replaced by the more sophisticated double-wishbone arrangement you get with the engines offered further up the range. These include a freshly-developed 112bhp 1.6-litre D-4D diesel capable of 67.3mpg and 108g/km of CO2. And another powerplant added to the MK2 model line-up, a 116bhp 1.2-litre petrol turbo unit that offers perky performance, making 62mph from rest in 10.1s en route to 124mph. At the top of the line-up, as before, there's the option of a 1.8-litre petrol/electric hybrid version that delivers 78.5mpg and 81g/km in a model that can travel up to a mile on pure electric power alone.
If you're the kind of person who brings uncompromising reason to the purchase decision when it comes to getting yourself a new family hatchback, then you'll bond with this Auris right away, particularly in this revised MK2 form. Optimal Drive technology, hybrid power, low servicing costs, decent residuals: it'll all be music to your ears.
What changed with this improved second generation Auris design though, was that the car became sharper looking, more accomplished to drive and more value-orientated. Plus the introduction of 1.2-litre petrol Turbo power and the 1.6-litre D-4D diesel engine meat that at last, this car could be a fully competitive prospect for those not prioritising hybrid power - or those who can't quite stretch to it. The petrol/electric option's worth trying though and it remains unique amongst family hatchbacks from this era. There are still, it's true, more dynamic, more versatile and more up-market-feeling choices in this class from this period, but not many of them stack up quite as well as an overall ownership proposition.
What we've got here then, is a family hatchback with a Toyota badge that's class-competitive in almost every way. There are more exciting options in this class from this era. But you may struggle to find more sensibly-orientated ones.


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SEATTLE -- A Washington state lawmaker said Sunday he was just engaging in some sports trash talk when he called the state of Arizona a "racist wasteland."
Democratic Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon made his harsh comment on Twitter after the Seattle Seahawks' loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Fitzgibbon later deleted his message and said in an interview that people were taking his trash talk a little too seriously.
"If folks are going to take that too seriously, then I'm sorry about that," Fitzgibbon said.
Still, Fitzgibbon said people in Washington state "have not appreciated" how Arizona has treated immigrants, particularly citing a 2010 immigration law that was subject to a legal challenge from the federal government. He said Arizona leaders need to look at changing laws that he believes amount to racial profiling.
One of the 2010 Arizona law's requirements is that officers, while enforcing other laws, question the immigration status of those suspected of being in the country illegally.
The Cardinals' 17-10 victory in Seattle on Sunday kept their postseason hopes alive while snapping the Seahawks' 14-game home winning streak. Fitzgibbon's comment was posted shortly after the game.
"Losing a football game sucks," Fitzgibbon wrote. "Losing to a desert racist wasteland sucks a lot."
Washington state Republican Rep. J.T. Wilcox said in his own post on Twitter that Fitzgibbon's message "makes us all look bad."
Fitzgibbon is from Burien and represents the 34th Legislative District, which covers West Seattle, Burien and Vashon Island. He was first elected in 2010 and didn't face any opposition when he ran for re-election last year.